Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

A Canadian Barista Landed An $8 Million CRA Bill After Her Tax Return Went Wrong

Always check and double-check your tax return! 😬💰
Managing Editor, Canada

Ahead of tax time in Canada, one barista is encouraging Canadians to check and double-check their tax returns after she ended up owing a whopping $8 million to the CRA in 2018.

Alina Bukatova told her story to CBC News, explaining that she’d earned around $17,000 annually while working in a coffee shop. However, when her tax bill came back, it showed she owed millions.

Editor's Choice: 9 Toronto Tenants Got Evicted With 24 Hours' Notice Because Their Homes Were So Unsafe

She’d used a tax preparation chain to help with her returns that year and was confident that the process had been straightforward. 

However, her notice of assessment later showed an income of more than $17 million dollars — explaining the $8 million in unpaid taxes!

Although the error was later corrected (although not before her bank accounts were seized!), it’s worth remembering to double-check all figures on your tax documents — particularly ahead of this year’s “incredibly complicated” tax season.

  • Managing Editor

    Helena Hanson (she/her) is the Managing Editor of Canada for Narcity and MTL Blog, where she brings her expertise in dreamy, aspirational travel journalism to life. A first-class graduate of Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Helena has a passion for inspiring readers to discover the magic in their own backyards. Originally from the U.K., Helena has spent years uncovering hidden gems and must-see destinations across countries like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, and more. Having lived in both Canada and Australia, she's become a seasoned expert in off-the-beaten-path adventures and bucket-list experiences that don't break the bank. Whether she's writing about things to do in Ottawa, Montreal, or her favourite spot—Disney World—Helena hopes to leave readers dreaming of their next adventure.

13 updates from the new federal budget that you might actually care about

From tax cuts to Eurovision dreams, here's what Mark Carney's federal budget means for you. 👇

Canada's 2026 federal income tax brackets are out — Here's how much you'll pay next year

Brackets AND rates have changed — you might actually owe less next year. 👀

Canada's best bank accounts for 2026 were revealed and so many Big Five banks didn't make it

You might want to rethink where you're keeping your money. 🏦 👀

Parts of Ontario are forecast to get more than 30 cm of snow this week

A major snowstorm in the north and lake-effect snow in the south! ❄️

VIA Rail is hiring in BC and you get travel perks without having to travel for work

These positions pay up to $45 an hour or $114,000 a year.